Pages past — April 5

On this date ...

1971: Traffic congestion at Clovis’ busiest shopping center — located at 14th and Main streets — “tries the patience,” according to the secretary of the City Traffic Committee.

Henry Patton said the committee was looking into options for controlling the movement of the traffic around the shops.

Patton also said traffic on Mabry Drive and Norris streets was “heavy enough to warrant improvement,” the Clovis News-Journal reported.

1961: Voters in the Dora school district approved building an elementary school with six classrooms.

Construction cost, including a central heating system and an addition to the school’s gymnasium, was estimated at $160,000.

Voters approved the measure, 189-119.

1961: An 8-year-old Clovis girl, critically burned in a neighbor’s garage, had died from her injuries.

Dianah Lee Sherman lived at 100 W. Tierra Blanca.

Her death was the result of a fire in a garage utility room at 3121 Main, officials said. The fire started when a jar filled with gasoline was knocked over and ignited by a pilot light on a water heater.

The death was the second caused by fire in Clovis in less than two weeks.

Jose Salazar, 43, died in a fire at his home at 307 Reid on March 27.

Pages Past is compiled by Editor David Stevens. For more regional history, check out his weblog at:

www.highplainsyesterdays.com